Rubber bearings are normally used in the chassis of a vehicle in the suspension for the connection between a chassis link and the axle mount at one end, and between the chassis link and the wheel mount at the other end. The design of these rubber bearings is always a compromise between rigid rubber bearings for a sporty, precise driving performance, and soft rubber bearings for a comfortable driving performance. The rigidity of the chassis link cannot be adjusted.
From the prior art known in general, different rubber bearings are known for use in the chassis area of a vehicle. On one hand, purely mechanical rubber bearings are known, having a defined rigidity. Moreover, hydraulically dampened rubber bearings having a fixed or variable rigidity are known. Furthermore, rubber bearings with magnetorheological fluids or magnetorheological elastomers are known, wherein the rigidity can be varied via a magnetic field.
By way of example, DE 696 22 141 T2 discloses a method for the production and use of a suspension bushing having variable rigidity for controlling the relative movement between a chassis link in a motor vehicle and a frame component of the motor vehicle. The suspension bushing has a variable rigidity, which is implemented in that a magnetorheological elastomer or gel is embedded therein, the rigidity of which can be adjusted in a variable manner over a broad range, this being by means of a variable magnetic field. The variable magnetic field is generated by means of an electromagnetic structure, which is entirely integrated in a suspension bushing structure as part of the electromagnetic structure.
The object of various embodiments of the invention described herein is to create an elastic chassis link for a vehicle, the rigidity of which is adjustable